That’s not a headline Guido ever expected to write. Les Lawrence, who is in charge of kids and yoof for Birmingham Council, has said those trashing his city centre, stealing anything that wasn’t nailed down and generally causing mayhem, should be spared punishment. It seems he got the hug a hoodie memo about five years too late. Instead of locking up rioters, Lawrence wants the police to take away their X-Boxes and TVs. Presumably their old ones as well as the ones that they stole yesterday?

Coincidently the Tory councillor’s partner is the delectable Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT union…